


Ten Years Later

by divergirlonfire_in_a_impala



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adult Peter, F/M, Manipulation, Reader-Insert, reader was childhood friends with Quentin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2020-06-29 03:06:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19821262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/divergirlonfire_in_a_impala/pseuds/divergirlonfire_in_a_impala
Summary: Mysterio didn't die and ten years later he is back with a plan.





	1. Chapter 1

As soon as Peter walks into the apartment, I can tell that something is wrong. The air shifts, and I can feel my stomach drop. His hair has fallen into his face, and his eyes dart around the room, unsure as if he doesn't believe anything he sees. His eyes meet mine, and they break my heart. They are red and swollen, he's been crying. Peter's right cheek is bruised, and his lip is bleeding. 

I drop the plate I was holding onto the table and walk towards him. I cup the uninjured side of his face with my hand wiping away a fallen tear. Peter tenses under my touch and won't meet my gaze again.

"Peter," it comes out a whisper. "Peter, what's wrong?"

He lifts his head, looking at me as if he can see right through me.

"He's back. He's back and… and I don't know… I, oh God, he's back." Peter collapses against me, sobbing. He only repeats the same warning over and over again.

"Who? Peter, who is back?" I frantically ask. I am terrified of the answer. I've known Peter a long time, there's only one man that has ever made Peter so afraid.

"Quentin Beck, he's back, and his tech is like nothing I have ever seen. He had an entire block under the illusion that it was snowing, but there wasn't a drone in sight. I thought he died, it has been years, why now?"

What a sight we must be, two grown adults, kneeling on the floor of our apartment. Peter is bawling his eyes out and questioning everything. I am, well, I am in shock. I try to never think of how Peter and I met all those years ago. When he saved me from Mysterio.

MJ wasn't the only one to discover what Mysterio's tech. However, I figured out what he was doing months before even his attack in Mexico. I thought that Quentin would listen to me, we'd known each other forever. Our mothers were friends, and I assumed that he saw me as an annoying younger sister. I confronted him, I told Quentin that he didn't need to pretend to be a hero. He was a genius, but he was often overlooked for more confident and boisterous men. Something had shifted in him, he was obsessed with power. He didn't listen! I'm not sure if I should be grateful, but Beck didn't kill me. I don't know why, but he was obsessed with me. He kidnapped me and kept me locked away; even his co-conspirators didn't know about me.

When we first met, I was even more distrustful of Peter than he was of me. Quentin had kept me in a state of constant confusion and illusions for over four months. I couldn't trust my own mind, I didn't know what was real, and even to this day, I am terrified that I'm still with him. That I'm still under his spell.

Quentin Beck put Peter and me through hell, and our one and only solace was in the fact that he has been dead of ten years. Now, Peter is telling me that he is back, and my worst fear appears to be coming true.

Our timing is impeccable, as soon as Peter starts to compose himself, my mind has caught up to the situation and is shutting down. Peter goes from leaning on me to catching me before I even realize that I have lost my balance.

"I'm not going to let him touch you, I promise, he will not lay a hand on you. I'm going to draw him out, as far away from you as possible. You are not going back!" 

He holds my neck, and I see his eyes harden, there is a determination in them. Peter pulls me into a bone-crushing hug, and I feel secure in his arms. He releases me and stands. I push myself off the ground, fully trusting him to keep me safe. We walk onto the balcony.

"I could come with you to watch your back. I can be on coms, I won't be in the way. I don't want you to face him alone." I grab his wrist, coming back to my senses.

"Baby, you still have flashbacks from last time. I can't let you be near him. You don't have to worry about me, I won't be alone. Shuri brought him to my attention, and she volunteered to help me end this once and for all." He leans down and kisses me.

As he pulls away, I hear him whisper, "I promise."

I watch him swing off into the distance, and I say a quick prayer for his protection. I know it seems foolish when the gods of old turned out to be aliens, but as Mysterio used to say, people need to believe.

When I can no longer see Peter, I walk back inside and turn on the news. I anxiously pace back and forth as I see Peter appear in front of the camera. I freeze as he challenges Beck to face him, my heart drops, and my hands are shaking; I am terrified for him. I resume my pacing, I know that soon I will be flooded with calls and questions from those who know the truth. 

As I reach for my phone, the world around me shifts. Our bright living room melts away revealing a painfully familiar monochromatic room. The walls are grey, and the furniture is black and white; I try to run, but I'm stopped by the cold metallic chain around my ankle. The only color in the room comes from the looming figure of red, gold, and green that is standing over me.

"This is just a flashback, it's not real, you're fine. You are just nervous for Peter." I try to convince myself, I use the words that Peter normally uses to calm me when I am having an episode.

"Oh love, I can assure you that this is very real. You are finally back with me where you belong. Or rather you never really left. You see, I let you live your little escape plan, Spider-Man and all."

Beck cups my face and runs his hand through my hair. I try and pull away, but he won't let go. He's here, right in front of me, he's really here. Quentin wipes away a tear, but he pushes too roughly. After what feels like years, I look up and meet his gaze. I look straight into those blue eyes that caused me so much pain.

"You can't fool me, Beck. This is an illusion, we're standing in my apartment!" I say it confidently, but I honestly don't know. I'm pleading that it's true. 

He smiles and drops the illusion. Everything is back: the couch, the TV still showing the live coverage of Peter, even our uneaten dinner.

"You think you've gotten me all figured out, don't you?" he begins to stalk around the room, circling me. "You always we're too smart for your own good, but you used to be nicer." Quentin's eyes widen expectantly. I won't give in, I can't!

"Where are the drones, Beck?" I say coldly. 

He steps closer, and before I can react, he has me pinned against the wall with my hands pinned above my head.

"So you haven't figured it out then," he leans back and laughs, "I don't need something as primitive as Tony Stark's creations now. Now my powers are real, derived straight from the mind and reality stones. I'm sure Parker has mentioned them before."

He backs off, but I still can't move my wrist.

"Stronger beings than you have tried to rule using the stones," I say, hoping more than anything that he's lying. 

Laughing again, Beck counters, "Do you mean that oaf Thanos? He was too big picture and single-minded, he didn't understand the power of the stones, not really. Me, on the other hand, I can see the finer details. I can bend the Earth's reality to my will, forget the rest of the universe. With a third of the stones, I can rewrite every person on the planet, I can remove powers, and make those who will resist completely compliant."

He steps in front of me and grabs my chin. "All except for you and Peter, I just love to watch the two of you struggle against my control."

I spit at him, "Peter will stop you!" Quentin drops my chin, he takes his gloved hand and wipes my spit off of his face. He takes several deep breaths, glaring at me. He licks his lips slowly as his eyebrows pinch together. I can feel the annoyance rolling off him. He turns around, and I see him clench his fist. Beck turns back and slaps me, hard!

He grabs a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back, forcing me to look up at him. 

"Your fire is adorable, but it seems that you've forgotten how to treat me in our unfortunate time apart." He drops my head, I let my chin drop to my chest. He rarely got this angry during our time together, and I'm terrified of what he'll do next.

"However, I'll take the time to retrain you at a later. As far as my plan is concerned, I've already succeeded." He smirks as I feel the dread sink to my stomach, he couldn't have. 

"I made sure the changes happened slowly, so as to not alert you or your idiotic little boyfriend. It has taken me ten years, but I've finally got everyone exactly how I want them. Leaving just you and Peter; my two little lost lambs. The final loose ends." 

He waves his hand, my wrist drop, and I fall to my knees. "As for your precious Peter, do you really believe that he is going to save you? He did promise, right?" Beck sinks to his knees and puts a hand on my shoulder.

I respond with a barely audible "yes," he looks down at me with pity and scoffs. 

"Oh, you actually think that he loves you, foolish girl! He's just waiting for someone better, someone more deserving of the great Spider-Man's time and attention. To him, you are just a toy. A toy for him to entertain himself with until he finds someone more interesting."

Quentin pulls me up by my forearm and then puts his hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the balcony. I don't know what he is doing, maybe he is finally going to kill me. I don't fight him, I think that angering Beck further will only make the situation worse. 

He walks to the edge of the balcony and steps up on the ledge. Pausing for a bit, he looks around and takes a deep breath and sighs with a chuckle. Turning back toward me, he extends his arm reaching for me; I take a step back, I don't trust him not to try an illusion that will cause me to fall.

"Love, I told you I have real powers now; I can fly. I promise it's not an illusion, and I won't let you fall."

I don't know why, but for some reason, I honestly believe that he is telling me the truth. His eyes have softened, and he looks almost nervous that I won't go with him. He looks like the boy I used to know.

I walk to him and take his hand. Quentin pulls me up onto the ledge and holds me tight against his chest, once more dawning his full costume. The metal chest piece is warm with the lights. I look up at him, the suit makes him look even taller and more intimidating. Beck looks down at me and smiles, just slightly. 

"I'm glad that you finally trust me, just make sure you hold on." He wraps one arm around me as green smoke pours out of the other. "I won't let you fall, I promise," an almost silent promise. I'm not even sure if he knows that he said it out loud.

Then, Quentin jumps off the ledge, he grips me even tighter as my heart drops in fear. I close my eyes, waiting for the impact of the pavement below. It never comes. 

I open my eyes, and we're flying over the city. It's impossible, but it's true. It is so breathtaking from up here. This would even be enjoyable if it weren't for the fact that Mysterio is the one who is holding me and not Peter. 

After a while, we reach a large plaza. I recognize it from the TV, this is where Peter is waiting for Mysterio. Has Beck brought me here as some kind of hostage? Am I just a pawn in his game, or is this even actually happening? Was he just waiting to kill me in front of Peter?

Then, I see him, Peter, he looks around nervously. He must have said something because Shuri turns to look at him. I wonder if he can sense us.

Beck lands on top of a nearby building, we're far enough away that Peter wouldn't be able to hear us, but close enough that I can see him. It's too dark up here for Peter to see us, even with his suit on. 

"If you want," Quentin turns towards me, "I can make it where you can hear him."

"How can I trust that it's him and not a trick?" I can't take my eyes off of Peter, I have no clue what Beck has planned for him.

"I promise, no more illusions and no more lies, at least from me. So," Quent holds his hand out to me, "Do you trust me?"

No, of course I don't trust him! But, if Quentin is telling the truth, what choice do I have but to go along with whatever he wants? If he has control over everyone's minds, then he could have anyone attack or kill Peter and I. Anyone of those reporters, anyone of Peter's other enemies that want to take advantage of this massive audience, or even Shuri. 

I have no choices and no way out.

I take Beck's hand, "I'll trust you until you give me a reason not to."

He nods, "I suppose that is the best I can hope for given our past."

Beck closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "No lies, I swear."

It takes a second, but I hear Peter's voice. I close my eyes, trying not to cry, I didn't realize how close I was until I heard him say my name.

"I don't know Shuri. We've had this conversation before, what's new? We have known each other since the first time around. She still needs me." Is Peter talking about us?

Shuri sighs, "Look, Peter, does she help you? Or do you stay just because you're too nice to hurt her? I don't think that you actually love her, I believe that you see her like a project, something to fix." 

Peter drops his head and squats down. "Does it really matter? Love or duty, the best thing for her is to be with me." 

She kneels beside him and puts her arm around his shoulder. "Peter, I've known you a long time, and I know that you always put others above yourself, but, maybe just this once, you should cut her loose and move on with your life."

What?

"There he is the real Peter Parker, too scared to show his true colors." Quentin catches me as I stumble backwards, "And who might that lovely young woman with him be?"

He looks down at me expecting an answer

"Shuri," I whisper.

"The princess, the one that he knew five years before he met you? They fought together against Thanos. Now how are you expected to compete with a princess who is just as brilliant as he is?" Beck fakes concern, but his words feel like daggers to my chest.

Just when I feel like the scene in front of me can't possibly get worse, Peter lifts the bottom of his mask up and he kisses Shuri.

"But, he promised, right?" He voice mocks exactly what I am thinking, "He is supposed to be out there protecting you from me and instead he's kissing another girl, and I have my arms around your delicate frame."

"Beck, this is one of your illusions! Peter would never do this to me, stop this now!" I push him off of me. I fall to the ground, still not believing what I see as Peter kisses her again.

"I promised you no more lies. This isn't me, I honestly had no idea what Parker was going to do."

I try and hold back everything I'm feeling, there must be some explanation. But, I just heard Peter say that he didn't love me, so I don't know what is real. The emotions just pour out of me all at once, and I can't control them.

Quentin's suit disappears, and he is just standing there wearing a sweater. He bends down next to me and starts rubbing my back like he used to when we were younger.

"I've got you. It's okay, just let it out." I fold myself into his arms as I sob.

Have the last ten years been an illusion, a series of lies, from Peter and not Mysterio? Peter and I promised never to lie to each other, but it seems that none of his promises hold any meaning to him. Did he ever love me? Was I always just a project to him, someone to fix?

"I told you not to leave me. I warned you that you couldn't tell what was real without me." Quentin pulls me further into his arms. He kisses the top of my head.

"I think you realize that now, right?" He pushes some hair out of my face, and I nod. "You understand that you need me to help you. You wanted to leave me, so I let you live out your little fantasy. I can feel your thoughts, I know that even though you wanted nothing more than for Peter to love you, you were never able to trust him fully. For good reasons, it seems. He left you!"

Quentin gently wipes a tear away. 

"I know that I left you too, but I only wanted to become more powerful for you. So that I could protect you. When I heard that the Avengers brought the stones back with the Blip, I knew that I could make my imaginations come true! That I could stop playing one and actually become a hero, for you."

He leans back, "and now, I can make your hopes and dreams a reality too. We can do anything. But, first, I think you have a decision to make."

Quentin stands and looks over to where Peter and Shuri are, I stand and join him.

"I honestly don't know if I can. I know that I have to face him, but not like this," I wave my hand gesturing to the swarming helicopters. "It just wouldn't be right."

He nods and closes his eyes. A minute later, the helicopter, photographers, and reporters are all gone.

"You know, you don't actually have to face him." I look at Beck, eyebrows raised, "I could just have Shuri tell him. I won't break my promise of not tricking either of you, I don't want to lose your trust again." He smiles down at me.

"No, I need to do this myself. Can you take me down there?" 

I swear his eyes shift, suddenly I am staring at the boy I looked up to for eighteen years. The boy who would hurt anyone who picked on me, but would turn around and call me annoying when I wanted to tag along with him and his friends.

I snap back to reality when I hear Peter's confusion as to the sudden lack of an audience.

"Are you ready?" Quentin asks.

I nod, reach for his hand, and take a deep breath. Together we step to the edge of the building, Beck pulls me close and jumps. The flight was short, but it felt like an eternity. What am I supposed to say to Peter? Do I even truly believe that Quentin hasn't messed with him?


	2. Chapter 2

Before I can make any real decisions, we land in front of Peter and Shuri.

"Beck, what is this?" Peter asks as I see Shuri power up her blasters.

"You can take your mask off, the press is gone," Beck replies.

Peter turns to me, and I nod, confirming what Beck said to be true. I can tell that he is trying to decide if this is real.

"What is your word?" Peter asks me. 

When I first started having flashbacks, we each had like a codeword so that we would know if it was really us in situations like this.

"At the same time?" I ask it's the only way for me to honestly know if what I've seen is real.

Peter nods

"Green lies," he says as I say "Mist asylum." 

Oh God, it's real. I feel Quentin's hand rest on the small of my back as I take a shaky step backward. 

As soon as Quentin touches me, Peter and Shuri point their weapons at him.

"Quentin back away from her!" Peter says through clenched teeth.

"Why don't we let her decide. Honey, do you want me or Peter to back off?" Beck steps next to me to look me in the eyes.

I don't know.

Peter has possibly been lying to me for ten years.

Quentin is suddenly telling the truth.

Peter doesn't love me.

Quentin is protecting me?

I feel them both looking at me. Quentin is still holding me, and Peter is reaching for my hand. I take a step back from both of them, I'm lost. Who do I trust? A childhood friend who hurt me so terribly ten years ago or a man who I thought loved me back but never really did. Who is more trustworthy? A hero, who lied for ten years, or a villain who pulled the wool away from my eyes. Can I trust either of them? 

"Baby, what's wrong?" Peter asks he doesn't know what I saw.

"You don't love me, and you never did, Peter. That's what is wrong. You've lied to me for ten years." My eyes start filling with tears again. 

"How could you think that? Of course, I love you." He sounds sincere, but I don't miss his eyes darting to look at Shuri. 

I shake my head, stepping back again, this time a little closer to Quentin. It's all real, he said the codeword, and he's still lying to me.

"What did he say to you? You know you can't trust Beck, he's a liar!" Peter raises his voice, taking a step towards me.

"Not this time, Peter. I heard you tell Shuri that us being together is only a duty to you. I saw you kiss her. It wasn't an illusion, Peter, you used your codeword. It was your idea."

Peter is shocked. It takes him what feels like forever to process what I said. Out of nowhere, he lunges at Quentin, punching him in the face.

"How dare you come back" Peter spits at him while his fists are flying.

Quentin is trying to block the hits, but he just can't keep up.

"You just had to meddle in our lives again! You just couldn't mind your own business and leave well enough alone!" Peter continues to shout.

I take a step towards them, but Shuri stops me. I look at her, and she just shakes her head.

"Love!" I hear Quentin call out to me, his voice is laced with pain. This beating would be painful even without Peter's super strength, with it, this could be lethal.

"Peter, stop! Please!" I cry.

Peter turns to look at me, still pinning Quentin to the concrete. There is a look in his eyes that I have never seen, it fills me with fear.

"Why should I stop? After all this  _ monster _ has done, why shouldn't I just kill him right now?" Peter asks.

Quentin's head sinks to the ground, so he is looking at me. I think he is trying to say something, but every time he opens his mouth, he starts coughing violently, gasping to catch his breath as blood trickles down his cheek.

"Peter, please, this isn't you!" I'm pleading with him, but what if I'm wrong? What if Peter really will kill Beck?

"Why are you defending him?" Peter jumps up, and with two quick strides, he is standing over me. He pins me against the building.

"After everything he did to me, everything he did to you!" Peter's face is flush, I have never seen him so angry.

"Parker, maybe you should listen to her." Shuri puts a hand on his shoulder. 

Peter throws his shoulder, pushing her off of him, "stay out of this!"

"Peter, he's not hurting anyone anymore. Look at him. Quentin could have stopped you, he could have killed you, but he didn't. Peter, look at what you did to him!" Peter is looking at me, and I have never wished more that I could read his mind. 

"Why did you trust him to begin with? Have you lost your mind?" 

Why did I trust him? Because he promised, because he looked sad, or maybe deep down, I just wanted my friend back. Peter is looking at me, expectantly.

"I don't know," I whisper, my eyes drop to the ground.

"Look at you, you are so lost, love. He tricked you so easily, but it's okay. I'm here for you, and I'll make sure that Quentin Beck will never bother us again!"

Peter takes my hands in his, and I look up to meet his eyes ashamed, I am not exactly sure what I'm embarrassed for. I finally meet his dark eyes, expecting to find familiarity and peace in them. Instead, I can finally see what I have been too afraid and too blind to see. Not love or compassion, but rather a blank stare. He is simply annoyed that I dragged him into this, not here to save me.

"Peter, you don't love me." I pull my hands away from him and turn to face Quentin, who is struggling to try to sit up. 

"That doesn't matter! What difference does it make whether I love you or not?" Peter is quickly getting angry again.

"It makes a difference to me! You lied to me for ten years, and you can't even admit it!" I shout through the tears.

"Fine! I don't love you, and I never did! Does that help the situation any?" He expects me to answer him, I can't.

"I didn't think so. God, you can be so stupid sometimes! You're right, I have been with you for ten years. And every minute of it, I have felt like I was babysitting, but I did it because I owed you. Because you were the  _ only _ one who knew what happened! What  _ he _ did to us! I tried, I really did. I tried for ten years to love you the same way you love me. I'm sorry, I just don't love you." 

How do I respond to that? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6 months, but I did it!


	3. Chapter 3

I’m standing in front of Peter, trying to accept the truth of the situation. The lie was so comforting. Tears start to fall as the pillar that I desperately clung to for a decade crumbles down. 

I turn to Quentin’s fallen form. Peter is talking. His voice is muted. All I hear is my blood rushing through my veins. The mourning ache blends into anger, and I am left somewhere in between. I imagine this is how people feel when they say they see red, but all I see is Quentin working too hard to breathe. His chest rising and falling inconsistently. His face covered in blood.

I fall to my knees beside Quentin, gently guiding his head to rest on my lap. I softly comb his matted hair out of his face—one task at a time. I use the edge of my sleeve to wipe the blood off his cheek and the side of his mouth. 

After a while, my knees start to ache from the pressure. I look around, realizing that Peter and Shuri left while I was taking care of Quentin. 

“Quentin, we need to leave. Can you walk?” I ask softly, knowing that the sun was setting over my shoulder. 

His face is washed by orange light as he nods. He groans as he pulls himself to sit up. I see a red glow, then a bench is moving toward us. Quentin leans against the bench, resting for a moment before pushing up. I guess he used one of the infinity stones. Quentin leans against me to stabilize himself.

“Why don’t you use the stones to heal yourself?” I ask.

“I have the mind and reality stone.” He pauses, taking a shaky breath, “The mind stone can only control how people think. So, I could make you think I wasn’t hurt but not heal myself. The reality stone would only make it appear as if I wasn’t hurt. Also, the effects seem to be temporary and only last while I’m actively thinking about the changes. If I had the time stone, then I could undo the damage.”

For the first time, I wonder why Quentin stopped at just the two stones. I’ve heard the stories of the Mad Titan, but I don’t know what happened. Peter tried to explain that we both were ‘dusted,’ but I have no memories of those five years. When I left Quentin had been working on his own for almost two years, when I came back, he was so engrossed in his work that he wouldn’t listen to reason. He was so different from the brother I had left. He went from an ambitious 23-year-old to a vindictive 28-year-old. I never had siblings, but Quentin always took care of me. I was like his foolish 19-year-old kid sister following him around, hoping to absorb some of his genius. I was in awe of Quentin, though that he could hang the stars if he wanted to. I suppose, now he could. At some point, Peter took his place. The two of them are very similar, more than either would care to admit. 

The flight is rough. I’m not sure where we end up. Based on the trees, I’m guessing upstate New York. This must have been where Quentin was hiding. We land outside a massive, two-story cottage, it’s absolutely beautiful! There is a flower bed on one side filled with roses and hydrangeas, on the other is a garden full of tomatoes, lettuce, and corn. This isn’t at all what I expected from him. As we go up the walkway, I notice that the stepping stones are actually solar panels. This is the Quentin I adored growing up. 

The door maps his eye before unlocking. I help Quentin onto a couch in the first room to the right of the door and ask him where a medical kit would be. I follow his directions down the hall and the second door on the left. It is in the counter under the sink. This isn’t a first aid kit, but it’s what he described. I carry the small, red, round tin to him, hoping I grabbed the right thing. Quentin takes it from me, opens it, and sticks his finger in it. I watch, astonished as glowing blue lights climb up his finger and spread around his body. They slowly turn green, and I can visibly see Quentin getting the color back in his face and gaining strength.

“They’re nanobots,” Quentin noticed me staring. “I was developing them under Stark. I finally finished them about three years ago.”

I nod, not trusting myself to respond appropriately. All I want to do is gush about how cool they are and ask how they work. Quentin (and Peter) used to get annoyed when I did that, though.

“Look, I know a lot has changed in the last twelve years for you. Remember, it has been seventeen years for me. We are both very different people from when I used to work for Stark, and you used to bug me to get you an intern pass.”

He sighs, “I often wonder how things would have turned out if you had gotten the internship. We would have been working together, maybe you could have helped me keep my cool after he claimed my work as his.”

“But, if we had worked together, you would have eventually moved on. You and I both know that I don’t have the level of scientific understanding that you and Peter have.”

I stop when I notice that Quentin looks irritated.

“I would prefer if you didn’t say  _ his _ name. He took you away from me for ten years!”

We sit in silence for a while after his outburst. I don’t know how to talk to him anymore. We are starting our relationship from scratch, that is going to take some time. 

“I would have taken you with me,” Quentin says after a long time.

“What?” I ask softly.

“If I had gotten promoted, I wouldn’t have left you behind. I could have made you like my research assistant.” He pauses and runs his hand through his hair. “You’re not stupid, you understand the science once it is explained. You just can’t comprehend completely new topics.

“It would have been helpful to have you in the lab to make me think twice about my projects or to ask questions. You ask good questions.”

“I thought you hated when I asked questions about your work,” I say, confused.

“Your questions had a habit of either stumping me or hitting too close to an issue I couldn’t figure out.”

“Maybe we didn’t know each other as well as we thought we did.” I shrug, yawning, “but that is in the past now.” 

“It has been a long day for both of us, and you look ready to pass out.” He chuckles as I try to stifle another yawn.

I missed his laugh. I missed his smile. I missed him. 

“What, your nanobots can’t fix that?” I ask, smiling at his teasing.

“Unfortunately, no, not yet. I can show you to a bed.” Quentin stands and offers me his hand. 

This time I take it with no hesitation. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, I can only write every six months....Yikes!

**Author's Note:**

> Is Mysterio still lying to her?
> 
> I promise that I love both Peter and Shuri and definitely don't view them in any negative light!


End file.
